Indoor unit for air conditioner

ABSTRACT

The indoor unit for an air conditioner comprises a cross flow fan, an indoor heat exchanger, an auxiliary pipe, an indoor fan motor, a motor cover section, a front drain pan, a rear drain pan, and a communication passage. The communication passage is arranged adjacent to the motor cover section along the rotational axis in a top plan view and serves to link the front drain pan and the rear drain pan together. The cross flow fan, the indoor fan motor and the communication passage are arranged such that in a top plan view they are positioned along the rotational axis in the following order: the cross flow fan, the indoor fan motor, and the communication passage.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)to Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2002-350028, filed in Japan on Dec.2, 2002, and 2002-350029, filed in Japan on Dec. 2, 2002, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an indoor unit for an air conditioner.

BACKGROUND ART

An indoor unit of an air conditioner is equipped with a blower fan, amotor, and a heat exchanger and serves to deliver air that has passedthrough the heat exchanger into a room. The motor serves to rotationallydrive the blower fan, and the blower fan and motor are arranged adjacentto each other along the rotational axis of the blower fan.

The indoor unit of the air conditioner is further equipped with a firstdrain pan and a second drain pan to catch drain water that drips fromthe forward end and rearward end of the heat exchanger and acommunication passage to link the first and second drain pans together.By providing a communication passage, the water caught by the firstdrain pan and the second drain pan can be collected in either one of thedrain pans or in the communication passage and discharged to the outsideof the indoor unit. In conventional indoor units, the communicationpassage is often arranged between the blower fan and the motor in a topplan view. More specifically, the blower fan, the communication passage,and the motor are often arranged such that in a top plan view they arepositioned along the rotational axis of the blower fan in the followingorder: blower fan, communication passage, motor (see Japanese Laid-OpenPatent Publication No. 2001-221497).

However, in an indoor unit of an air conditioner, water drips not onlyfrom the heat exchanger but also from the auxiliary pipe that extendsoutward from the side face of the heat exchanger. Consequently, a motorcover that covers the motor is arranged below the auxiliary pipe toprotect the motor from the drain water. In some cases, the disposal ofthe drain water that drips onto the motor cover is problematic. When thecommunication passage is arranged between the blower fan and the motoralong the rotational axis of the blower fan in a top plan view, it isnecessary to prevent the drain water caught by the motor cover fromflowing toward the outside, i.e., toward the opposite side as the sidewhere the blower fan is located. The idea of as providing ribs on themotor cover to guide the drain water away from the outside have beentried as a means of preventing the drain water from flowing to theoutside, but such designs cause the shape of the motor cover to becomecomplex and the manufacturing cost to increase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit for anair conditioner that can dispose of drain water using a simpleconfiguration.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an indoor unit foran air conditioner is provided with a blower fan, a heat exchanger, anauxiliary pipe, a motor, a motor cover, a first drain pan, a seconddrain pan, and a communication passage. The blower fan has a cylindricalshape and is arranged such that its rotational axis is substantiallyhorizontal. The heat exchanger is arranged so as to cover the blower fanfrom above and face the outer circumference of the blower fan. Theauxiliary pipe extends outward from an side face of the heat exchanger.The motor is arranged adjacent to the blower fan along the rotationalaxis and serves to rotationally drive the blower fan. The motor cover isarranged below the auxiliary pipe and covers the motor. The first drainpan and second drain pan are arranged in such a manner as to sandwichthe blower fan from the front and rear and serve to catch drain waterthat drips from the heat exchanger. The communication passage isarranged adjacent to the motor cover along the rotational axis in a topplan view and serves to link the first drain pan and the second drainpan together. The blower fan, the motor, and the communication passageare arranged such that in a top plan view they are positioned along therotational axis in the following order: blower fan, motor, communicationpassage.

With this air conditioner indoor unit, the communication passage cancatch any drain water that flows outward after dripping onto the motorcover that covers the motor because the blower fan, the motor, and thecommunication passage are arranged in said order along the rotationalaxis of the blower fan in a top plan view. As a result, this airconditioner indoor unit enables the drain water to be disposed of usinga simple configuration.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the airconditioner indoor unit of the first aspect of the present invention isfurther provided with an electrical component box for housing electricalcomponents. The blower fan, the motor, the communication passage, andthe electrical component box are arranged such that in a top plan viewthey are positioned along the rotational axis in the following order:blower fan, motor, communication passage, electrical component box.

In this air conditioner indoor unit, the communication passage isarranged between the electrical component box and the motor.Consequently, drain water that drips onto the motor cover can be caughtby the communication passage and prevented from flowing toward theelectrical component box. As a result, this air conditioner indoor unitenables the drain water to be prevented from flowing toward theelectrical component box using a simple configuration.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the airconditioner indoor unit of the first or second aspect of the presentinvention further provided with a water guiding passage configured toguide drain water that has dripped onto the motor cover toward thecommunication passage.

With this air conditioner indoor unit, drain water that drips onto themotor cover is guided toward the communication passage by the guidepassage. As a result, this air conditioner indoor unit can dispose ofthe drain water more efficiently.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the airconditioner indoor unit of anyone of the first to third aspects of thepresent invention is provided such that the auxiliary pipe extends tothe space above the communication passage.

In this air conditioner indoor unit, the auxiliary pipe extends to thespace above the communication passage. That is, the auxiliary pipe ispositioned not only above the motor cover but extends beyond the motorcover to the space above the communication passage. As a result, withthis air conditioner indoor unit, the installation space of theauxiliary pipe is enlarged such that the degree of freedom with respectto the installation of the auxiliary pipe is increased.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the airconditioner indoor unit of anyone of the first to fourth aspects of thepresent invention is provided such that the communication passage ispositioned at or below the height of the rotational axis of the blowerfan.

With this air conditioner indoor unit, the communication passage ispositioned at or below the height of the rotational axis of the blowerfan, which is a comparatively low position within the air conditionerindoor unit. Thus, the positions of the first drain pan and the seconddrain pan can also be lowered, as can the position of the heatexchanger. As a result, the height dimension of the air conditionerindoor unit can be decreased.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the airconditioner indoor unit of anyone of the first to fifth aspects of thepresent invention is provided such that the first drain pan, thecommunication passage, and the second drain pan are formed as a singleintegral unit.

In this air conditioner indoor unit, the first drain pan, thecommunication passage, and the second drain pan are formed as a singleintegral unit. If these items are formed as separate units and joinedtogether, there will be the possibility that drain water will leak fromthe joint portions. With this air conditioner indoor unit, the risk ofwater leakage occurring can be reduced because said items are formed asa single integral unit.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the airconditioner indoor unit of the sixth aspect of the present invention isfurther provided with a water draining section. The water drainingsection is provided with a water draining hole configured to dischargedrain water from the first drain pan, the communication passage, and thesecond drain pan to the outside of the indoor unit. The first drain pan,the communication passage, the second drain pan, and the water drainingsection are formed as a single integral unit.

Drain water flows not only to the first drain pan, the communicationpassage, and the second drain pan but also from these items to the waterdraining section to be discharged to the outside of the indoor unit.Thus, there is the possibility that drain water will leak from the jointsection if the water draining section is formed as a separate unit andjoined to the communication passage, etc.

In this air conditioning indoor unit, however, the first drain pan, thecommunication passage, the second drain pan, and the water drainingsection are formed as a single integral unit. As a result, the risk ofwater leakage occurring can be reduced even further.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the airconditioner indoor unit of the first aspect of the present invention isprovided such that the auxiliary pipe extends to a position beyond themotor in a direction parallel to the rotational axis.

Generally speaking, an air conditioner indoor unit has a cylindricalblower fan, a heat exchanger arranged facing the outer circumference ofthe blower fan, and a motor that is arranged adjacent to the blower fanalong the rotational axis and configured to rotationally drive theblower fan. An auxiliary pipe through which a refrigerant flows isconnected to the heat exchanger. The auxiliary pipe often extendsoutward from the side face of the heat exchanger and routed through thespace adjacent to the side face of the heat exchanger in order to beconnected to the refrigerant piping located outside the indoor unit.(See Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-173591.)

Meanwhile, a plurality of component parts are densely arranged insidethe air conditioner indoor unit in order to make the indoor unit morecompact. For example, the motor is often arranged in the space adjacentto the side face of the heat exchanger and thus occupies a portion ofthe space adjacent to the side face of the heat exchanger. Consequently,the space that can be used for installing the auxiliary pipe thatextends outward from the side face of the heat exchanger is limited andthe degree of freedom with which the auxiliary pipe can be routed islimited. From the standpoint of design ease, it is preferable for thedegree of freedom with respect to routing the auxiliary pipe to be high.

In this air conditioner outdoor unit, the auxiliary pipe that extendsfrom the side face of the heat exchanger extends to a position beyondthe motor. If the auxiliary pipe is not extended to a position beyondthe motor and the motor is positioned below the auxiliary pipe, at leasta portion of the space below the auxiliary pipe will be occupied by themotor and the ability to extend the auxiliary pipe downward will berestricted. Conversely, with this air conditioner indoor unit, there islittle chance of the motor limiting the ability to extend the auxiliarypipe downward because the auxiliary pipe extends to a position beyondthe motor. As a result, with this air conditioner indoor unit, thedegree of freedom with which the auxiliary pipe can be routed is higherthan when the auxiliary pipe does not extend to a position beyond themotor. In short, with this air conditioner indoor unit, the degree offreedom with respect to routing the auxiliary pipe can be increased.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the airconditioner indoor unit of the eighth aspect of the present invention isprovided such that the auxiliary pipe extends to a position beyond themotor cover in a direction parallel to the rotational axis.

With this air conditioner indoor unit, there is little chance of therouting of the auxiliary pipe being limited by the motor cover becausethe auxiliary pipe extends to a position beyond the motor cover in adirection parallel to the rotational axis. As a result, with this airconditioner indoor unit, the degree of freedom with respect to routingthe auxiliary pipe can be increased.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the airconditioner indoor unit of the ninth aspect of the present invention isprovided such that the communication passage is arranged in a positionbeyond the motor cover in a direction parallel to the rotational axis.

In this air conditioner indoor unit, the communication passage isarranged in a position beyond the motor cover. As a result, thecommunication passage can catch drain water that drips from an auxiliarypipe extending to a position beyond the motor cover. Thus, with this airconditioner indoor unit, even if the auxiliary pipe extends to aposition beyond the motor cover, the drain water that drips from theauxiliary pipe can be disposed of appropriately.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the external appearance of an air conditioner.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the refrigerant circuit.

FIG. 3( a) is a frontal view of an indoor unit.

FIG. 3( b) is a right side view of the indoor unit.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of the indoor unit with an upper casingremoved.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the right-hand portion the indoor unit with theupper casing removed.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the right-hand portion of an indoor heatexchanger unit.

FIG. 7 is a right-side cross sectional view of the indoor unit.

FIG. 8 is a right side view of a lower unit.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the right-hand portion of the lower unit.

FIG. 10 is a right side cross sectional view of the lower unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

<Overall Configuration of the Air Conditioner>

FIG. 1 shows the external appearance of an air conditioner 1 thatemploys an embodiment of the present invention.

The air conditioner 1 comprises an indoor unit 2 configured to bemounted to an indoor wall and an outdoor unit 3 configured to beinstalled outdoors.

An indoor heat exchanger 50 (heat exchanger) is housed inside the indoorunit 2 and an outdoor heat exchanger 30 is housed inside the outdoorunit 3. The heat exchangers 30, 50 are connected by a refrigerant pipe4, thereby forming a refrigerant circuit.

<Overview of the Refrigerant Circuit of the Air Conditioner>

The constituent features of the refrigerant circuit of the airconditioner 1 are shown in FIG. 2. This refrigerant circuit compriseschiefly the indoor heat exchanger 50, an accumulator 31, a compressor32, a four-way selector valve 33, the outdoor heat exchanger 30, and anelectric powered expansion valve 34.

The indoor heat exchanger 50 provided in the indoor unit 2 serves toexchange heat between the refrigerant and the air that contacts theindoor heat exchanger 50. The indoor unit 2 is also provided with across flow fan 71 (blower fan) for drawing air from the room (indoorspace) into the indoor unit 2 and discharging the air to the room afterthe air has exchanged heat with the heat exchanger 50. The cross flowfan 71 has an elongated cylindrical shape and is arranged such that itscenter axis is oriented in a horizontal direction. The cross flow fan 71is driven by an indoor fan motor 72 (motor) provided inside the indoorunit 2 so as to rotate about its center axis. The constituent featuresof the indoor unit 2 will be discussed in more detail later.

The outdoor unit 3 includes the following components: the compressor 32;the four-way selector valve 33, which is connected to the discharge sideof the compressor 32; the accumulator 31, which is connected to theintake side of the compressor 32; the outdoor heat exchanger 30, whichis connected to the four-way selector valve 33; and the electric poweredexpansion valve 34, which is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 30.The electric powered expansion valve 34 is connected to a pipe 41through a filter 35 and a liquid shut-off valve 36 and, furthermore, isconnected to one end of the indoor heat exchanger 50 through the pipe41. The four-way selector valve 33 is connected to a pipe 42 through agas shut-off valve 37 and, furthermore, is connected to the other end ofthe indoor heat exchanger 50 through the pipe 42. These pipes 41, 42 areequivalent to the refrigerant pipe 4 shown in FIG. 1. The outdoor unit 3is further provided with a propeller fan 38 for discharging air to theoutside after the air has exchanged heat with the outdoor heat exchanger30. The propeller fan 38 is rotationally driven by an outdoor fan motor39.

<Constituent Features of the Indoor Unit>

FIG. 3( a) shows a frontal view of the indoor unit 2 and FIG. 3( b)shows a side view of the indoor unit 2. The indoor unit 2 has ahorizontally long form in a frontal view and has a two-tone color schemewhereby the color is divided between an upper portion and a lowerportion in both a frontal view and a side view.

The indoor unit 2 comprises chiefly an upper casing 6, a lower unit 7,and an indoor heat exchanger unit 5 housed inside the indoor unit 2. Theupper casing 6 covers the upper part of the indoor unit 2. The lowerunit 7 constitutes the lower part of the indoor unit 2. The upper casing6 and the lower unit 7 are formed as separate entities, and the boundarybetween the upper casing 6 and a portion of the lower unit 7 appears asa horizontal line in an external view of the indoor unit 2. The color ofthe upper casing 6 is different from the color of the portion of thelower unit 7 such that a two-tone color scheme is achieved in which thecolor differs above and below the aforementioned horizontal line formingthe boundary between the upper casing 6 and the lower unit 7.

The constituent components of the indoor unit 2 will now be describedindividually.

<Indoor Heat Exchanger Unit>

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the indoor heat exchanger unit 5 comprises theindoor heat exchanger 50, an auxiliary pipe 51, a heat exchanger supportmember 52, etc. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the indoor unit 2 withthe upper casing 6 removed; FIG. 5 is a top view of the indoor unit 2with the upper casing 6 removed; and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of theright-hand portion of the indoor heat exchanger unit 5.

<Indoor Heat Exchanger>

As shown in FIG. 7, the indoor heat exchanger 50 is arranged in such amanner as to face the outer circumference of the cross flow fan 71 andsurround the front, top, and rear of the cross flow fan 71. FIG. 7 is aside cross sectional view of the indoor unit 2. As it rotates, the crossflow fan 71 draws air into the indoor unit 2 through intake vents 601,611. As the air moves toward the cross flow fan 71, it exchanges heatwith the refrigerant inside the heat exchanger tube. The indoor heatexchanger 50 is divided into four sections: a first indoor heatexchanger 50 a, a second indoor heat exchanger 50 b, a third indoor heatexchanger 50 c, and a fourth indoor heat exchanger 50 d. The indoor heatexchangers 50 a, 50 b, 50 c, 50 d are joined together such that theindoor heat exchanger 50 has the cross sectional shape of generallyinverted letter V, i.e., both ends bent downward.

The indoor heat exchangers 50 a, 50 b, 50 c, 50 d each have the shape ofa horizontally elongated board. Each indoor heat exchanger 50 a, 50 b,50 c, 50 d comprises a heat exchanger tube that has been folded back andforth a plurality of times at both lateral ends of the heat exchangersand a plurality of flat rectangular fins through which the heatexchanger tube has been passed. The portions where heat exchanger tubefolds back at both lateral ends of each indoor heat exchanger 50 a, 50b, 50 c, 50 d are formed by U-shaped heat exchanger tubes.

The first indoor heat exchanger 50 a is slanted upward toward the frontof the indoor unit 2 and is arranged such that it covers the portion ofthe cross flow fan 71 ranging from an upper central portion to an upperrear portion of the cross flow fan 71.

The second indoor heat exchanger 50 b is slanted upward toward the rearof the indoor unit 2 and is arranged in front of the first indoor heatexchanger 50 a. The upper end of the second indoor heat exchanger 50 bis joined to the upper end of the first indoor heat exchanger 50 a suchthat, in a side view, the first indoor heat exchanger 50 a and thesecond indoor heat exchanger 50 b form the shape of an inverted letterV. The second indoor heat exchanger 50 b is arranged such that it coversthe portion of the cross flow fan 71 ranging from an upper centralportion to an upper front portion of the cross flow fan 71.

The third indoor heat exchanger 50 c is arranged below the second indoorheat exchanger 50 b in such a position as to cover a front portion ofthe cross flow fan 71. The upper end of the third indoor heat exchanger50 c is joined to the lower end of the second indoor heat exchanger 50 bin such a manner that an obtuse angle exists between the third indoorheat exchanger 50 c and the second indoor heat exchanger 50 b. The thirdindoor heat exchanger 50 c is arranged parallel to the height direction,i.e., the vertical direction, and is perpendicular to the lower unit 7,which covers a horizontal plane below the indoor heat exchanger 50. Thelower end of the third indoor heat exchanger 50 c is the lower end ofthe indoor heat exchanger 50, and the lower end of the third indoor heatexchanger 50 c, i.e., the forward lower end of the indoor heat exchanger50, is positioned at approximately the same height as the center axis ofthe cross flow fan 71.

The fourth indoor heat exchanger 50 d is arranged below the first indoorheat exchanger 50 a in such a position as to cover a rear portion of thecross flow fan 71. The upper end of the fourth indoor heat exchanger 50d is joined to the lower end of the first indoor heat exchanger 50 a insuch a manner that an obtuse angle exists between the fourth indoor heatexchanger 50 d and the first indoor heat exchanger 50 a. The fourthindoor heat exchanger 50 d is arranged parallel to the height directionand is perpendicular to the lower unit 7 covering the horizontal surfaceof the bottom of the indoor heat exchanger 50. The lower end of thefourth indoor heat exchanger 50 d is the rearward lower end of theindoor heat exchanger 50, and the lower end of the fourth indoor heatexchanger 50 d, i.e., the rearward lower end of the indoor heatexchanger 50, is positioned at approximately the same height as thecenter axis of the cross flow fan 71.

The third indoor heat exchanger 50 c and the fourth indoor heatexchanger 50 d have the same dimension in the height direction, and theupper ends and lower ends of the third indoor heat exchanger 50 c andfourth indoor heat exchanger 50 d are positioned at the same heights,respectively. Thus, the forward lower end and rearward lower end of theindoor heat exchanger 50 are at the same height and are positioned atapproximately the same height as the center axis of the cross flow fan71. Also, the forward lower end and rearward lower end of the indoorheat exchanger 50 are located vertically below the forward and rearwardlower ends of the inverted V-shaped portion and are positioned atapproximately the same height as the center axis of the cross flow fan71.

The first indoor heat exchanger 50 a, the second indoor heat exchanger50 b, the third indoor heat exchanger 50 c, and the fourth indoor heatexchanger 50 d are fastened to each other by fastening plates providedon both lateral ends thereof (i.e., the leftward and rightward facingends in a frontal view) so as to form a single integral unit thatconstitutes the indoor heat exchanger 50. The cross sectional shape ofthe indoor heat exchanger 50 is a combination of the inverted V-shapedportion formed by the first indoor heat exchanger 50 a and the secondindoor heat exchanger 50 b and the straight-line portions that extendvertically downward from the lower ends of the first indoor heatexchanger 50 a and the second indoor heat exchanger 50 b. The indoorheat exchanger 50 is formed such that, in a vertical cross sectionalview, it is horizontally symmetrical with respect to a vertical line ofsymmetry passing through the apex of the inverted V-shaped portion; thefirst indoor heat exchanger 50 a and the second indoor heat exchanger 50b are horizontally symmetrical to each other and the third indoor heatexchanger 50 c and the fourth indoor heat exchanger 50 d arehorizontally symmetrical to each other with respect to said line ofsymmetry. While the indoor heat exchanger 50 has a cross sectional shapethat includes a horizontally symmetrical inverted V-shaped portion in aside view as described above, it has a horizontally elongated shape in afrontal view. The long of lengthwise direction of the indoor heatexchanger 50 is approximately the same as the lengthwise dimension ofthe cross flow fan 71 and the lateral ends of the indoor heat exchanger50 are substantially aligned with the lateral ends of the cross flow fan71.

<Auxiliary Pipe>

The auxiliary pipe 51 connects the indoor heat exchanger 50 to therefrigerant pipe 4 located outside the indoor unit 2 and serves as apassage for the refrigerant that flows between the indoor heat exchanger50 and the outdoor heat exchanger 30. As shown in FIG. 6, the auxiliarypipe 51 is connected to the heat exchanger tube of the indoor heatexchanger 50 and extends outward from the side face of the indoor heatexchanger 50. The auxiliary pipe 51 protrudes from the right-hand sideface of the indoor heat exchanger 50 and is routed through the spaceadjacent to the side face of the indoor heat exchanger 50. Morespecifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the auxiliary pipe 51 extends outwardfrom the right-hand side face of the indoor heat exchanger 50, passesover the indoor fan motor 72 and a motor cover section 55 (i.e., motorcover, discussed later) that covers the indoor fan motor 72, and reachesbeyond the indoor fan motor 72 and motor cover section 55 into the spaceabove a communication passage 783 (discussed later). From there, asshown in FIG. 4, the auxiliary pipe 51 bends toward the back of theindoor unit 2 and slightly downward, passes along a path locatedlaterally to the outside of the motor cover section 55 that covers theindoor fan motor 72, and bends upward again at the back of the indoorunit 2. Then, the plurality of auxiliary pipes 51 are congregatedtogether and covered with a protective tube 53. As shown in FIGS. 4 and6, the congregated auxiliary pipes 51 extend downward through the spaceon the right side of the indoor heat exchanger 50 along the back of theindoor unit 2, bend again toward left side of the indoor unit 2 in thespace below the rear portion of the bottom of the indoor unit 2, andconnect to the refrigerant pipe 4.

The heat exchanger support member 52 is provided in the vicinity of theright-hand side face of the indoor heat exchanger 50 and, as shown inFIG. 4, serves both to support the indoor heat exchanger 50 fromunderneath and to cover the indoor fan motor 72. The heat exchangersupport member 52 protects the indoor fan motor 72 from drain water. Theconstituent features of the heat exchanger support member 52 will bediscussed later.

<Upper Casing>

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 7, the upper casing 6 forms the upper partof the indoor unit 2 and comprises an upper front section 60, a topsection 61, and upper side sections 62, 63.

The upper front section 60 covers the front upper portion of the indoorunit 2, i.e., the area in front of the indoor heat exchanger 50. Theupper front section 60 is generally flat and is provided with astep-like section on a portion thereof. In the upper face of thestep-like section is provided a front intake vent 601 comprising aslit-like opening that is long in the lengthwise direction of the indoorunit 2. The front intake vent 601 is arranged so as to face upwardtoward the space above the indoor unit 2.

The top section 61 covers the top portion of the indoor unit 2, i.e.,the area above the indoor heat exchanger 50. In the top section 61 areprovided a plurality of top intake vents 611 comprising slit-likeopenings. The top intake vents 611 are arranged facing rearward from thefront of the top section 61 and have a larger intake cross sectionalarea than the front intake vent 601. Consequently, an ample amount ofair is drawn into the indoor unit 2 from the rearward side of the toppart.

The upper side sections 62, 63 cover the upper portions of the sides ofthe indoor unit 2, i.e., the areas laterally adjacent to the indoor heatexchanger 50. The upper side sections 62, 63 comprise a right upper sidesection 62 and a left upper side section 63, the right upper sidesection 62 being arranged on the right-hand side of the indoor heatexchanger 50 in a frontal view and the left upper side section 63 beingarranged on the left-hand side of the indoor heat exchanger 50 in afrontal view.

The bottom edge of the upper casing 6 is formed to be horizontal so thatwhen the upper casing 6 is placed on the lower unit 7, the boundarybetween the upper casing 6 and the lower unit 7 appears as a horizontalline in an external frontal view or side view of the indoor unit 2.

<Lower Unit>

The lower unit 7 constitutes the lower part of the indoor unit 2 and, asshown in FIGS. 8 and 9, comprises a module that includes a lower casing70, the cross flow fan 71, the indoor fan motor 72, and an electricalcomponent box 73.

<Lower Casing>

The lower casing 70 comprises a lower front section 74, a bottom section75, lower side sections 76, 77, and a support part 78. The color of thelower casing 70 is different from the color of the upper casing 6.

The lower front section 74 is the portion that is visible as the front,lower part of the indoor unit 2 in a frontal view and is arranged suchthat its upper edge leans toward the front of the indoor unit 2. Asshown in FIG. 3( a), the upper edge of the lower front section 74 ishorizontal and forms a horizontal boundary line together with the loweredge of the upper casing 6. The lower front section 74 is provided withan outlet vent 741 comprising an opening that runs along the lengthwisedirection of the indoor unit 2. As shown in FIG. 7, this outlet vent 741communicates with the space inside the support part 78 that houses thecross flow fan 71. The air flow generated by the cross flow fan 71 isdischarged into the room through the outlet vent 741. The outlet vent741 is provided with a horizontal flap 742 serving to guide the air thatis discharge into the room. The horizontal flap 742 is provided in sucha manner that it can turn freely about an axis running parallel to thelengthwise direction of the indoor unit 2 and can open and close theoutlet vent 741 by being rotationally driven by a flap motor (notshown).

The bottom section 75 is flat and covers the bottom of the indoor unit2. The bottom section 75 is arranged in a horizontal orientation and thesupport part 78 is arranged there-above.

The lower side sections 76, 77 are the portions that are visible as thelower portions of the side face of the indoor unit 2 in a side view andserve to cover the lower portions of the side face of the indoor unit 2.The lower side sections 76, 77 comprise a right lower side section 76and a left lower side section 77, the right lower side section 76 beingarranged on the right-hand side of the indoor heat exchanger 50 in afrontal view and the left lower side section 77 being arranged on theleft-hand side of the indoor heat exchanger 50 in a frontal view. Theupper edges of the lower side sections 76, 77 are horizontal, similarlyto the upper edge of the lower front section 74. When the upper casing 6is placed on the lower unit 7, the lower edge of the upper casing 6aligns with the upper edges of the lower front section 74 and the lowerside sections 76, 77 of the lower unit 7 so as to form a horizontalboundary line.

The support part 78 is surrounded by the lower front section 74, thebottom section 75, and the lower side sections 76, 77 and the uppersurface of the support part 78 is positioned above the upper edges ofthe lower front section 74, the bottom section 75, and the lower sidesections 76, 77. The cross flow fan 71, the indoor fan motor 72, theelectrical component box 73, and the indoor heat exchanger unit 5 aremounted to the support part 78 from above and the support part 78supports the cross flow fan 71, the indoor fan motor 72, the electricalcomponent box 73, and the indoor heat exchanger unit 5 from below.

The support part 78 supports the indoor heat exchanger 50 through theheat exchanger support member 52 of the indoor heat exchanger unit 5.The upper surface of the support part 78 is at approximately the sameheight as the center axis of the cross flow fan. Drain pans 781, 782 anda fan housing section 787 are provided in the upper surface of thesupport part 78.

The drain pans 781, 782 are concave members that are depressed downwardfrom the upper surface of the support part 78 and serve to catch waterdroplets that form on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 50 duringthe course of exchanging heat. The drain pans 781, 782 comprise a frontdrain pan 781 (first drain pan) and a rear drain pan 782 (second drainpan). The front drain pan 781 is arranged below the third heat exchanger50 c, i.e., below the forward, lower end of the heat exchanger 50, asshown in FIG. 5. The rear drain pan 782 is arranged below the fourthindoor heat exchanger 50 d, i.e., below the rearward, lower end of theindoor heat exchanger 50. The front drain pan 781 and the rear drain pan782 are arranged to the front and rear of each other with the cross flowfan 71 there-between. The front drain pan 781 and the rear drain pan 782are arranged at approximately the same height. The bottom surfaces ofthe front drain pan 781 and the rear drain pan 782 are positioned lowerthan the height of the center axis of the cross flow fan 71 but close tothe lower ends of the indoor heat exchanger 50. The bottom surfaces ofthe front drain pan 781 and the rear drain pan 782, i.e., the surfacesthat catch drain water, are slightly slanted toward the right side ofthe indoor unit 2. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the right-hand portion ofthe support part 78 is provided with a communication passage 783 thatconnects the front drain pan 781 and the rear drain pan 782 together. Asshown in FIG. 9, the communication passage 783 is positioned between theindoor fan motor 72 and the electrical component box 73 in a top planview. As shown in FIG. 10, the communication passage 783 is positionedat or below the height of the rotational axis of the cross flow fan 71in a side view. A water draining section 789 is provided in anon-interrupted manner on the communication passage 783. The waterdraining section 789 is provided with a water draining hole 784 thatpasses downward from the communication passage 783. As shown in FIG. 9,the water draining hole 784 communicates with the inside of a drain hose785 serving to discharge drain water from the drain pans 781, 782 to theoutside. The drain water that drips from the indoor heat exchanger 50and the auxiliary pipes 51 is caught in the front drain pan 781 and therear drain pan 782, collected in the communication passage 783, anddischarged to the outside of the indoor unit through the water draininghole 784 and the drain hose 785. The front drain pan 781, the rear drainpan 782, the communication passage 783, and the water draining hole 784are formed as a single integral unit with no joints or seams. Morespecifically, the right-hand end of the front drain pan 781 is connectedintegrally to the frontward end of the communication passage 783 and theright-hand end of the rear drain pan 782 is connected integrally to therearward end of the communication passage 783. The communication passage783 is also formed integrally with the water draining section 789.Consequently, the bottom surface of the communication passage 783 wheredrain water is caught is connected in an uninterrupted manner withoutjoints or seams to the water draining hole 784 of the water drainingsection 789.

The fan housing section 787 is a portion where the cross flow fan 71 andthe indoor fan motor 72 are housed and is arranged at the approximatecenter of the upper surface of the support part 78. The fan housingsection 787 is a concave member that is depressed downward in asemi-cylindrical shape from the upper surface of the support part 78,and houses the lower half of the cross flow fan 71 and the indoor fanmotor 72. Inside the support part 78 is provided with an air passageleading from the housed cross flow fan 71 to the outlet vent 741.

The support part 78 is also provided with a tongue part 786 thatprotrudes upward from the upper surface of the support part 78 betweenthe rear drain pan 782 and the cross flow fan 71. The tongue part 786covers the rear of the cross flow fan 71 and the upper end of the tonguepart 786 is positioned slightly lower than the height of the top portionof the cross flow fan 71.

Although the front drain pan 781, the rear drain pan 782, the fanhousing section 787, and the upwardly projecting tongue part 786 areprovided on the upper surface of the support part 78, the other portionsof the upper surface of the support part 78 are generally flat andhorizontal and positioned at approximately the same height as the centerline of the cross flow fan 71.

As described above, the highest portion of the support part 78 is thetongue part 786 but the tongue part 786 is positioned at or below theheight of the top portion of the cross flow fan 71. Meanwhile, the uppersurface of the support part 78 is positioned above the upper edges ofthe lower front section 74 and the lower side sections 76, 77.Consequently, no portion of the lower casing 70, including the supportpart 78, is positioned at or below the height of the top portion of thecross flow fan 71.

The rear side of the upper surface of the support part 78, too, is at orbelow the height of the cross flow fan 71 and the space between the rearside of the top section 61 of the upper casing 6 and rear side of theupper surface of the support part 78 is filled with a mounting plate 8(see FIG. 7) that is used for mounting the indoor unit 2 to an indoorwall. The mounting plate 8 has approximately the same length as theindoor heat exchanger 50 in the lengthwise direction of the indoor unit2 and serves to cover the rear side of the indoor heat exchanger 50. Bycovering the rear side of the indoor unit 2, the mounting plate 8,together with the upper casing 6, forms an air flow path for the airentering the indoor heat exchanger 50 to follow. More specifically, themounting plate 8 forms a rear air flow path.

<Cross Flow Fan>

The cross flow fan 71 has an elongated cylindrical shape and is arrangedsuch that its center axis, i.e., rotational axis, is oriented in ahorizontal direction. The cross flow fan 71 is provided with vanesaround its outer circumference and the vanes are configured to generatea flow of air when the cross flow fan 71 rotates about its rotationalaxis. The flow of air is drawn in through the front intake vent 601 andthe top intake vents 611, passes through the indoor heat exchanger 50,and is blown into the room from the outlet vent 741. The cross flow fan71 is positioned generally in the middle of the indoor unit 2 in a sideview. The cross flow fan 71 is supported by the support part 78 and,when it is in the supported state, the upper half of the cross flow fan71 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the support part 78.

<Indoor Fan Motor>

The indoor fan motor 72 is configured and arranged to drive the crossflow fan 71 such that the cross flow fan 71 rotates about its rotationalaxis. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the indoor fan motor 72 has the shapeof a short cylinder with a diameter approximately the same as thediameter of the cross flow fan 71. The indoor fan motor 72 is arrangedon the right side of the cross flow fan 71 and is coaxial with respectto the cross flow fan 71. In a top plan view, the indoor fan motor 72 isarranged adjacent to the cross flow fan 71 along the rotational axis.The indoor fan motor 72 is arranged closely adjacent to the right sideof the cross flow fan 71 and the communication passage 783 is arrangedclosely adjacent to the right side of the indoor fan motor 72. In a topplan view, the indoor fan motor 72 and the cross flow can 71 aresurrounded by the front drain pan 781, the communication passage 783,and the rear drain pan 782. When the indoor fan motor 72 is mounted tothe support part 78, the heights of the top portions of the indoor fanmotor 72 and the cross flow fan 71 are approximately the same (see FIG.8).

<Electrical Component Box>

As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 9, the electrical component box 73 houses acontrol board 731 for controlling the operation of the indoor unit 2.The electrical component box 73 has a rectangular box-like shape, isarranged between the support part 78 and the right lower side section 76of the lower casing 70, and is positioned to the right of the indoorheat exchanger unit 5. The electrical component box 73 is arranged tothe outside of the support part 78 and is arranged adjacent to thecommunication passage 783 along the rotational axis of the cross flowfan 71 in a top plan view. Thus, in a top plan view, the cross flow fan71, the indoor fan motor 72, the communication passage 783, and theelectrical component box 73 are arranged along the rotational axis inorder as listed. The electrical component box 73 is supported on theright-hand side face of the support part 78 to the right of the indoorfan motor 72 and can be mounted to the support part 78 before the indoorheat exchanger unit 5 is mounted to the lower unit 7. The electricalcomponent box 73 is arranged closer to the front of the indoor unit 2than to the rear of the same and the space to the rear of the electricalcomponent box 73 serves as a space for passing the auxiliary pipes 51covered with the protective tube 53 (discussed before). The electricalcomponent box 73 is arranged such that the larger-capacity controlcomponents mounted to the control board 731, i.e., suchstrong-electric-current components 732 as capacitors and powertransistors, are arranged along the axial direction of the indoor fanmotor 72 and such that, in a side view, the indoor fan motor 72 and theelectrical component box 73 overlap. When the electrical component box73 is supported on the lower casing 70, the upper surface the electricalcomponent box 73 is positioned at approximately the same height as thetop portion of the indoor fan motor 72, i.e., the top portion of thecross flow fan 71.

Thus, when the cross flow fan 71 are supported on the lower casing 70,no portion of the indoor fan motor 72, the electrical component box 73,or the lower casing 70 is positioned higher than the top portion of thecross flow fan 71. In this way, the lower unit 7 as a whole has acomparatively small height dimension.

<Heat Exchanger Support Member>

The constituent features of the heat exchanger support member 52 willnow be explained based on FIGS. 5 and 6. The heat exchanger supportmember 52 is provided near the right-hand side face of the heatexchanger 50 and has a heat exchanger support section 54, a motor coversection 55, and a drain water guide section 56 (water guiding passage).

The heat exchanger support section 54 is a sheet-like portion shaped tofollow the inverted V-shape of the indoor heat exchanger 50 and servesto support the indoor heat exchanger 50 from underneath.

The motor cover section 55 covers the upper half of the indoor fan motor72 and comprises chiefly an upper cover section 551, a side coversection 552, a front cover section 553, and a rear cover section 554.

The upper cover section 551 is curved in a circular arc shape andprotrudes sideways toward the indoor heat exchanger 50 from the heatexchanger support section 54. The upper cover section 551 faces theupper half of the outer circumference of the indoor fan motor 72 andcovers above the indoor fan motor 72.

The side cover section 552 is a generally semicircular sheet-likeportion arranged perpendicular to the upper cover section 551. The sidecover section 552 is arranged facing the upper half of the circular faceforming the right-hand end face of the indoor fan motor 72 and coversthe right-hand side of the indoor fan motor 72.

The front cover section 553 and rear cover section 554 cover the frontand rear of the indoor fan motor 72.

As described previously, the auxiliary pipes 51 extend outward from theside face of the indoor heat exchanger 50 and, thus, the motor coversection 55 is positioned below the auxiliary pipes 51. The motor coversection 55 is shaped such that drain water that drips from the auxiliarypipes 51 flows toward the drain water guide section 56 and serves toprotect the indoor fan motor 72 from drain water.

The drain water guide section 56 arranged around the front, right side,and rear of the motor cover section 55 and serves to guide drain waterthat has dripped down onto and flowed from the motor cover 55 to thedrain pans 781, 782 and the communication passage 783. The drain waterguide section 56 has a bottom section 561 and a side wall section 562that, in a top plan view, have the shape of a rectangular letter U thatruns along the front, right-hand side, and rear of the motor coversection 55.

The bottom section 561 is connected perpendicularly to the bottom edgesof the side cover section 552, the front cover section 553, and the rearcover section 554. The left-hand edge of the portion of the bottomsection 561 positioned in front of the motor cover section 55 is closelyadjacent to the lower end of the side face of the third indoor heatexchanger 50 c and is positioned above the front drain pan 781. Theleft-hand edge of the portion of the bottom section 561 positioned tothe rear of the motor cover section 55 is closely adjacent to the lowerend of the side face of the fourth indoor heat exchanger 50 d and ispositioned above the rear drain pan 782.

The side wall section 562 stands vertically upward from the bottomsection 561 and serves to guide the drain water.

A gap is provided between the lower end of the side face of the thirdindoor heat exchanger 50 c and the left-hand edge of the forward portionof the bottom section 561. Similarly, a gap is provided between thelower end of the side face of the fourth indoor heat exchanger 50 d andthe left-hand edge of the rearward portion of the bottom section 561.Consequently, the drain water caught by the drain water guide section 56flows into the front drain pan 781 and the rear drain pan 782 throughthese gaps and is discharged to the outside of the indoor unit 2 (seeunshaded arrow A1 of FIG. 6). A cutaway section 563 is provided in aportion of the side wall section 562 positioned to the right of themotor cover section 55, and drain water that drips down onto the motorcover section 55 is discharged also through this cutaway section 563.The portion of the side wall section 562 positioned to the right of themotor cover section 55 is located above the communication passage 783such that it overlaps a part of the communication passage 783 in a topplan view. Drain water discharged from the cutaway section 563 is caughtby the communication passage 783 and discharged to the outside of theindoor unit 2.

In this way, the communication passage 783 is arranged along therotational axis of the cross flow fan 71 in a top plan view so that itis positioned beyond the motor cover section 55 and can catch drainwater that has dripped from the auxiliary pipes 51. More specifically,drain water that drips down from the auxiliary pipes 51 is caught by theupper cover section 551, the drain water guide section 56, or thecommunication passage 783.

Drain water that drips onto the upper cover section 551 flows forward,rearward, or sideways along the curved surface and into the drain waterguide section 56. The drain water then flows from the left-hand edge ofthe drain water guide section 56 into the front drain pan 781 or therear drain pan 782 and is discharged to the outside of the indoor unit2. Drain water that flows sideways across the upper cover section 551empties from the cutaway section 563 of the drain water guide section 56to the communication passage 783 and is discharged to the outside of theindoor unit 2.

Similarly, rain water that falls directly into the drain guide section56 flows either from the left-hand edge of the drain water guide section56 into the front drain pan 781 or the rear drain pan 782 or from thecutaway section 563 to the communication passage 783 and is dischargedto the outside of the indoor unit 2.

Additionally, since the auxiliary pipes 51 extend beyond the motor coversection 55 above the communication passage 783, drain water sometimesdrips from the auxiliary pipes 51 directly into the communicationpassage 783. In such a case, the drain water is caught by thecommunication passage 783 and discharged to the outside of the indoorunit 2.

<Characteristic Features>

<1>

In this indoor unit 2 for the air conditioner 1, the cross flow fan 71,the indoor fan motor 72, and the communication passage 783 are arrangedin order as listed along the rotational axis of the cross flow fan 71 ina top plan view. As a result, drain water that drips onto the motorcover section 55 covering the indoor fan motor 72 and flows to theoutside of the motor cover 55 can be caught in the communication passage783.

Meanwhile, drain water that drips onto the motor cover section 55 andflows forward or rearward along the motor cover section 55 can be caughtin the front drain pan 781 and the rear drain pan 782 and disposed of.

In this way, with this indoor unit 2 for an air conditioner 1, it is notnecessary to provide ribs or the like on the motor cover in order toprevent drain water from flowing toward the outside. Instead, drainwater that flows outward along the motor cover section 55 can bedisposed of by the communication passage 783. As a result, this indoorunit 2 for an air conditioner 1 enables the drain water to be disposedof using a simple configuration.

<2>

In this indoor unit 2 for an air conditioner 1, the communicationpassage 783 is provided between the electrical component box 73 and theindoor fan motor 72. Thus, drain water that drips onto the motor cover55 is caught by the communication passage 783 and disposed of before itcan reach the electrical component box 73. As a result, with this indoorunit 2 for an air conditioner 1, drain water is prevented from flowingto the electrical component box 73.

<3>

In this indoor unit 2 for an air conditioner 1, drain water that dripsonto the motor cover section 55 is guided to the front drain pan 781,the rear drain pan 782, or the communication passage 783 by the drainwater guide section 56. As a result, with this indoor unit 2 for an airconditioner 1, it is easy for drain water that drips onto the motorcover 55 to flow to the front drain pan 781, the rear drain pan 782, orthe communication passage 783 and the drain water can be disposed ofmore efficiently.

<4>

In this indoor unit 2 for an air conditioner 1, the auxiliary pipes 51extend to the space above the communication passage 783. In other words,the auxiliary pipes 51 extend not only over the motor cover section 55but also beyond the motor cover section 55 to the space above thecommunication passage 783. Thus, with this indoor unit 2 for an airconditioner 1, the installation space for the auxiliary pipes 51 isenlarged such that the degree of freedom with respect to the routing ofthe auxiliary pipes 51 is increased.

Additionally, since any drain water that drips from the auxiliary pipes51 can be caught by the communication passage 783, drain water thatdrips from the auxiliary pipes 51, too, can be disposed ofappropriately.

<5>

With this indoor unit 2 for an air conditioner 1, the communicationpassage 783 is positioned at or below the height of the rotational axisof the cross flow fan 71, which is a comparatively low position withinthe indoor unit 2 for an air conditioner 1. Thus, the positions of thefront drain pan 781 and the rear drain pan 782 are also lower.Consequently, the position of the indoor heat exchanger 50 can also belowered. As a result, the height dimension of this indoor unit 2 for anair conditioner 1 is reduced.

<6>

In this indoor unit 2 for an air conditioner 1, the front drain pan 781,the rear drain pan 782, the communication passage 783, and the waterdraining hole 784 are formed as a single integral unit with no joints orseams. If these parts are formed as separate entities and joinedtogether, there will be small gaps at the joints between the parts andthere will be the possibility of water leaking from the gaps.Conversely, since the front drain pan 781, the rear drain pan 782, thecommunication passage 783, and the water draining hole 784 of thisindoor unit 2 for an air conditioner 1 are formed as a single integralunit, there are no such gaps and there is less risk of water leakageoccurring.

<7>

In this indoor unit 2 for an air conditioner 1, the auxiliary pipes 51extend outward from the side face of the indoor heat exchanger 50 to aposition that is beyond the indoor fan motor 72 and the motor cover 55.Consequently, the auxiliary pipes 51 can be routed such that they passto the outside of the motor cover section 55. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4,the auxiliary pipes 51 and the motor cover section 55 can be arrangedsuch that they overlap in a side view.

If the auxiliary pipes 51 do not extend to a position beyond the indoorfan motor 72 and the motor cover section 55, the ability to extend theauxiliary pipes 51 downward will be restricted because the indoor fanmotor 72 and the motor cover section 55 will be positioned below theauxiliary pipes 51.

Since the auxiliary pipes 51 extend outward to a position that is beyondthe indoor fan motor 72 and the motor cover 55 in this indoor unit 2 foran air conditioner 1, the auxiliary pipes 51 can be extended downward toa height where they overlap the motor cover section 55 in a side view.As a result, with this indoor unit 2 for an air conditioner 1, the spacethrough which the auxiliary pipes 51 can be routed is enlarged and thedegree of freedom with respect to routing the auxiliary pipes 51 can beincreased.

<8>

In this indoor unit 2 for an air conditioner 1, the communicationpassage 783 is arranged such that it extends laterally outward to aposition beyond the motor cover section 55 of the heat exchanger supportmember 52. As a result, the communication passage 783 can catch drainwater that drips from the auxiliary pipes 51, which also extend to aposition beyond the motor cover section 55. As a result, with thisindoor unit 2 for an air conditioner 1, drain water that drips from theauxiliary pipes 51 can be disposed of appropriately.

<Other Embodiments>

The present invention can be embodied so long as, at least in a top planview, the cross flow fan 71, the indoor fan motor 72, and thecommunication passage 783 are arranged in order as listed along therotational axis of the cross flow fan 71. It is not necessary for thecross flow fan 71, the indoor fan motor 72, and the communicationpassage 783 to all be arranged at the same height.

Also, although in the previously described embodiment the electricalcomponent box, too, is arranged along the rotational axis in a top planview, it is also acceptable for the electrical component box to bearranged in a position where it does not intersect the rotational axis.

APPLICABILITY TO INDUSTRY

By utilizing an air conditioner indoor unit in accordance with thisembodiment, the communication passage can catch any drain water thatflows outward after dripping onto the motor cover that covers the motorbecause the blower fan, the motor, and the communication passage arearranged in order as listed along the rotational axis of the blower fanin a top plan view. Thus, the drain water can be disposed of with asimple configuration.

1. An indoor unit for an air conditioner, comprising: a blower fanhaving a cylindrical shape that is arranged such that its rotationalaxis is substantially horizontal; a heat exchanger covering an upperside of the blower fan and facing an outer circumference of the blowerfan; an auxiliary pipe extending outwardly from a side face of the heatexchanger; a motor arranged adjacent to the blower fan along therotational axis and configured to rotationally drive the blower fan; amotor cover arranged below the auxiliary pipe to cover the motor; afirst drain pan and a second drain pan arranged on opposite sides of theblower fan to sandwich the blower fan and configured to catch drainwater that drips from the heat exchanger; and a communication passagearranged adjacent to the motor cover along the rotational axis in a topplan view and configured to link the first drain pan and the seconddrain pan together, the blower fan, the motor, and the communicationpassage being arranged such that in a top plan view they are positionedalong the rotational axis in a following order: the blower fan, themotor, and the communication passage.
 2. The indoor unit recited inclaim 1, further comprising an electrical component box housingelectrical components; and the blower fan, the motor, the communicationpassage, and the electrical component box being arranged such that in atop plan view they are positioned along the rotational axis in afollowing order: the blower fan, the motor, the communication passage,and the electrical component box.
 3. The indoor unit as recited in claim1, further comprising a water guiding passage configured and arranged toguide drain water that drips onto the motor cover to the communicationpassage.
 4. The indoor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the auxiliarypipe extends to a space above the communication passage.
 5. The indoorunit as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication passage ispositioned at or below a height of the rotational axis of the blowerfan.
 6. The indoor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the first drainpan, the communication passage, and the second drain pan are formed as asingle integral unit.
 7. The indoor unit as recited in claim 6, furthercomprising a water draining section having a water draining hole thatserves to discharge drain water to an outside area from the first drainpan, the communication passage, and the second drain pan; and the firstdrain pan, the communication passage, the second drain pan, and thewater draining section are formed as a single integral unit.
 8. Theindoor unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary pipe extends ina direction parallel to the rotational axis to a position beyond themotor.
 9. The indoor unit as recited in claim 8, wherein the auxiliarypipe extends in a direction parallel to the rotational axis to aposition beyond the motor cover.
 10. The indoor unit as recited in claim9, wherein the communication passage is arranged in a position beyondthe motor cover in a direction parallel to the rotational axis.
 11. Theindoor unit as recited in claim 2, further comprising a water guidingpassage configured and arranged to guide drain water that drips onto themotor cover to the communication passage.
 12. The indoor unit as recitedin claim 2, wherein the auxiliary pipe extends to a space above thecommunication passage.
 13. The indoor unit as recited in claim 2,wherein the communication passage is positioned at or below a height ofthe rotational axis of the blower fan.
 14. The indoor unit as recited inclaim 2, wherein the first drain pan, the communication passage, and thesecond drain pan are formed as a single integral unit.
 15. The indoorunit as recited in claim 14, further comprising a water draining sectionhaving a water draining hole that serves to discharge drain water to anoutside area from the first drain pan, the communication passage, andthe second drain pan; and the first drain pan, the communicationpassage, the second drain pan, and the water draining section are formedas a single integral unit.
 16. The indoor unit as recited in claim 3,wherein the auxiliary pipe extends to a space above the communicationpassage.
 17. The indoor unit as recited in claim 3, wherein thecommunication passage is positioned at or below a height of therotational axis of the blower fan.
 18. The indoor unit as recited inclaim 3, wherein the first drain pan, the communication passage, and thesecond drain pan are formed as a single integral unit.
 19. The indoorunit as recited in claim 18, further comprising a water draining sectionhaving a water draining hole that serves to discharge drain water to anoutside area from the first drain pan, the communication passage, andthe second drain pan; and the first drain pan, the communicationpassage, the second drain pan, and the water draining section are formedas a single integral unit.
 20. The indoor unit as recited in claim 4,wherein the communication passage is positioned at or below a height ofthe rotational axis of the blower fan.
 21. The indoor unit as recited inclaim 4, wherein the first drain pan, the communication passage, and thesecond drain pan are formed as a single integral unit.
 22. The indoorunit as recited in claim 21, further comprising a water draining sectionhaving a water draining hole that serves to discharge drain water to anoutside area from the first drain pan, the communication passage, andthe second drain pan; and the first drain pan, the communicationpassage, the second drain pan, and the water draining section are formedas a single integral unit.
 23. The indoor unit as recited in claim 5,wherein the first drain pan, the communication passage, and the seconddrain pan are formed as a single integral unit.
 24. The indoor unit asrecited in claim 23, further comprising a water draining section havinga water draining hole that serves to discharge drain water to an outsidearea from the first drain pan, the communication passage, and the seconddrain pan; and the first drain pan, the communication passage, thesecond drain pan, and the water draining section are formed as a singleintegral unit.